Latest news with #EricSlate
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
PETA asks McMaster to ban ‘direct contact' with exotic animals in wake of Horry County man's death in farm's kangaroo enclosure
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The animal-rights group PETA has asked Gov. Henry McMaster to ban 'direct contact with wild and exotic animals in South Carolina' after a man was found dead this weekend in a kangaroo and wallaby enclosure in Horry County. Eric Slate, 52, was found dead late Friday night inside the enclosure at the family-owned and operated 5 Star Farm on Highway 746 near Loris. The Horry County Coroner's Office said he died from 'blunt force injuries' but said the investigation is ongoing and that an autopsy would be conducted. Robert Slate, Eric Slate's brother, told News13 in an exclusive interview on Sunday that his brother's body had several abrasions and other marks, but nothing that would indicate the brutality of a kangaroo attack. He said Eric had been complaining of chest pains in the days before his death. An incident report provided by Horry County police said Eric Slate had 'clear signs of injury' but did not specify the extent of them. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Tuesday in a news release that it's not unusual for people to be injured when 'captive animals are exploited for entertainment.' The group cited two incidents that have happened in recent years, one in which a monkey escaped from Doc Antle's Myrtle Beach Safari and attacked a woman, and another in which a child was bitten by a prairie dog at Ballyhoo Petting Zoo in Anderson. PETA also said E. coli, Salmonella and other pathogens that can spread through direct or indirect animal contact are often found at petting zoos. 'Denying animals everything natural and important to them and subjecting them to a barrage of grabbing hands is a recipe for disaster,' said Jonathan Morris, an associate director of legal advocacy for PETA. 'PETA is urging Governor McMaster to ban these dangerous and exploitative hands-on encounters for the safety of all South Carolinians, humans and other animals alike.' Robert Slate responded Tuesday afternoon to PETA's concerns, telling News13 that any governing body or expert is welcome to visit his family's farm to view the enclosures and learn more about how the animals are treated. Below is the letter to McMaster, signed by Morris, in its entirety: 'I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to kindly request that you initiate a ban on public contact with wild and exotic animals in South Carolina. According to recent reports on May 10, a man was found dead with 'multiple blunt force injuries' while inside an enclosure with kangaroos and wallabies at a roadside zoo called 5 Star Farm in Loris, SC. This recent incident epitomizes the public safety hazards and animal welfare concerns associated with direct contact between wild and exotic animals and humans. Public contact with wild animals is inherently dangerous. Human handling is a significant stressor for wild animals, and public contact is particularly stressful because it forces these animals into interactions with unfamiliar individuals causing them to feel unsafe. In addition to the risk of physical injury, contact with wild animals risks transmission of numerous zoonotic diseases, including rabies, smallpox, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and E. coli. Captivity and training do not take away a wild animal's potential to inflict harm, and it doesn't take much for humans to trigger those instincts, potentially resulting in injury or worse—like the recent incident at 5 Star Farms shows—if the animal claws, bites, kicks, or flees. Such risks are amplified at unaccredited, for-profit facilities like 5 Star Farm where staff often have minimal experience or training, and there are limited if any safety polices in place. Animal welfare is inextricably linked to the increased risks posed by direct contact encounters at roadside zoos because failing to meet a wild animal's needs in a captive setting can cause psychological distress. Wild and exotic animals at unaccredited facilities typically live in a state of chronic stress due to poor welfare, which can result in injurious or aggressive behavior. Public interactions with wild and exotic animals have resulted in countless incidents of animals biting, scratching, or otherwise injuring unsuspecting customers. For example, in 2023, a teenager was bitten by a sloth during a public encounter at a roadside zoo in Michigan, and had to undergo post- exposure rabies treatment. In 2022, a 17-month old child was attacked by a lemur at a petting zoo in Georgia, which left the child with 'blood gushing out' of his head. In 2022, a three-year old was rushed to the hospital for a gaping wound that needed stitches after an iguana at a Forth Worth facility attacked him. In Anderson, South Carolina, in 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited Ballyhoo Petting Zoo after a prairie dog bit and injured a child. In Horry County, in 2021, a monkey escaped from Myrtle Beach Safari and attacked a woman at her home, biting her on the arm. The deadly incident at 5 Star Farm highlights the grave dangers direct contact with wild animals presents to both members of the public and captive wild and exotic animals. Accordingly, PETA respectfully urges you to initiate a ban on public contact with wild and exotic animals.' * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
12-05-2025
- The Guardian
Man died of ‘blunt force injuries' at US zoo after suspected kangaroo fight
Officials in South Carolina are investigating the death of a man who was believed to have been killed while fighting a kangaroo in an enclosure at a children's petting zoo. Eric Slate, 52, died of 'multiple blunt [force] injuries', according to Tamara Willard, the chief deputy coroner of Horry county, as reported by WPDE News. Local officials said Slate, brother of 5 Star Farm's owner, Robert Slate, liked to enter the enclosure containing kangaroos and wallabies and 'roughhouse' with a kangaroo named Jack. Mark Causey, a Horry council member, told Newsweek that the animal was not euthanized, and that inspectors would visit the farm this week to look at the enclosure and assess conditions at the zoo. A tribute posted to Facebook on Monday by Robert Slate featured a series of photographs of a man identified as Eric engaging with a kangaroo of almost the same height. 'Your memory will live on, your voice will be heard, and Jack (your buddy, the kangaroo) will be fine,' he wrote. 'My brother, my friend, my rock, you left us with a smile on your face that won't be forgotten.' A statement from the Horry county police department, posted to Facebook, said Slate's death happened on Friday, close to midnight. 'The death investigation remains active and ongoing,' the statement said. 'The deceased was located within an enclosure with wallabies and kangaroos of varying ages.' 'There are a number of other animals at the incident location. All animals are accounted for and contained, and there is no risk to the community.' A further statement from the farm's owners stated that the kangaroo 'was not nor has been out of his secure enclosure', and that the family-owned facility 'has been dedicated to providing a safe and enriching environment for animals and visitors alike'. According to its website, the farm offers interactive animal experiences including a petting zoo, camel and pony rides, birthday parties and gem mining. Fatal human-animal encounters are rare at petting zoos in the US, but they are not entirely unheard of. In 2022, a camel was euthanized after escaping its enclosure at Shirley Farms in Obion county, Tennessee, and fatally trampling two men.
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man 'beaten to death by kangaroo' after trying to 'roughhouse' animal
Officials from Horry County, South Carolina, have suggested Eric Slate - who was known to 'roughhouse' with animals - died following an altercation with a kangaroo A man who allegedly liked to "roughhouse" kangaroos may have been killed by one of the animals after he clambered into their enclosure at a petting zoo. Eric Slate was found dead in an enclosure "with wallabies and kangaroos of varying ages" at 5-Star Farm in Horry County, South Carolina, following what local police said was an "animal-related incident" between a "non-domesticated animal and adult relative (of the animal's owner)". The coroner's office for Horry County confirmed that the victim was found with "multiple blunt injuries" inside the enclosure, and a local councilman has alleged a kangaroo was "directly involved" in his death. Local medial outlet News 13 reported that Harris County councilman Dennis DiSabito suggested the kangaroo was involved in the death, but authorities have not indicated whether this is the case. Another councilmember, Mark Causey, told the outlet Mr slate had a "history" of stepping into the kangaroo enclosure and "roughhousing" with the animal. He added this is what was happening at the time of his death, adding the interaction "just went south". In his own statement, Robert Slate, the owner of 5 Star Farm, said only that the incident was a "tragic accident". The statement, posted on the farm's social media page, read: "Robert Slate, owner of 5 Star Farm, wishes to address a tragic incident involving a family member that occurred at the farm on the evening of May 9. Horry County Coroner has ordered an autopsy to determine cause of death, due to the fact, the victim was found in an animal enclosure." The statement added, however, that the farm's resident kangaroo had not exited its "secure enclosure". It continued: "The animal was not nor has been out of his secure enclosure. At this time we do ask, for respect and support for the family." Horry County Police Department confirmed following the incident over the weekend that there was no risk to the general public, with the investigation "active and ongoing". The department said: "The death investigation remains active and ongoing. "The deceased was located within an enclosure with wallabies and kangaroos of varying ages. There are a number of other animals at the incident location. All animals are accounted for and contained, and there is no risk to the community." The South Carolina farm functions as an interactive petting zoo, the farm states on its official Facebook account, adding that its animals include camels, wallabies and kangaroos. In a previous post on the page, the farm introduced "Mr Jack" a five-year-old kangaroo that "loves neck scratches and will take treats from your hand". The kangaroo alleged to have been involved in the death of Mr Slate has not been named.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- The Sun
Petting zoo worker beaten to death by KANGAROO after climbing into its pen to ‘roughouse' with animal
A ZOO worker has been battered to death by a kangaroo - after he climbed into its pen to "roughhouse" with it. Eric Slate's beaten up body was discovered just before midnight on Friday at 5-Star Farm near Loris, South Carolina, according to cops. 1 Slate, who was the brother of the petting zoo owner, had a "history" of stepping into the enclosure with the animal according to local media. .
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Sky News AU
Brother of South Carolina petting zoo owner apparently killed by kangaroo after stepping into its pen to ‘roughhouse' with it
The brother of a South Carolina petting zoo owner was apparently beaten to death by a kangaroo after possibly going into the animal's pen to 'roughhouse' with it, authorities said. Eric Slate's body was discovered inside the facility just before midnight on Friday night at 5-Star Farm near Loris — about 30 miles north of Myrtle Beach, the Horry County Coroner's Office said. Slate, 52, had a 'history' of stepping into the kangaroo enclosure and 'roughhousing' with it, which is what was happening at the time of his death, local council member Mark Causey told News13. 'It just went south,' he said. The kangaroo was still in its enclosure at the family-owned farm when Slate's body was found. The farm recently posted a picture of a large red kangaroo named Mr. Jack, adding, 'He loves neck scratches and will take treats from your hands.' It's not clear which animal killed Slate, but he was found with 'multiple blunt force injuries.' Adult male red kangaroos can weigh nearly 200 lbs. and grow up to 5-foot-11 tall, with powerful feet for kicking. In 2022, an elderly man was killed by his pet kangaroo in Western Australia, but that was believed to be the first time a roo killed a person in nearly 90 years in the country. 5-Star Farm offers an interactive petting zoo with exotic animals, including camels, wallabies and kangaroos, owner Robert Slate wrote in a Facebook post. 'Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers,' he said. The kangaroo is not aggressive and has not been euthanized, Causey added. 'It's not an aggressive animal. It's very sad… It was not the animal's fault,' he said. Experts are coming in this week to ensure the enclosure is safe and the animal is OK, he said. South Carolina has some of the loosest restrictions in the US on the ownership of exotic animals. It is one of only three states where kangaroo ownership isn't prohibited. Originally published as Brother of South Carolina petting zoo owner apparently killed by kangaroo after stepping into its pen to 'roughhouse' with it
